


The Price To Pay

by liviie



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Blood and Gore, F/M, Gun Violence, Hurt Neil Josten, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mentioned Nathan Wesninski, Nathan Wesninski's Bad Parenting, Neil Josten as Nathaniel Wesninski, Protective Neil Josten, Sacrifice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:56:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27157613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liviie/pseuds/liviie
Summary: When Aaron is kidnapped by mistake, Neil must awaken Nathaniel to help get him back. Except Nathaniel is gone and Neil has to try his best to pretend to be the monster he was.
Relationships: Aaron Minyard & Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten & Aaron Minyard, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 5
Kudos: 81





	The Price To Pay

**Author's Note:**

> If you are easily triggered my nooses or light talk of suicide, do not read. Nothing is too explicit but yknow.

You'd think Neil was used to it by now. His whole life was riddled with death threats and pain and run, run, run Abram! He _should_ be used to it. Yet all it took was one messaged from a blocked number to make Neil crumble. 

It wasn't a fast avalanche of a crumble: it was slow. It was devastating, but more importantly, it was bound to happen. This was Neil's fate. 

The message was only one name, but it was the first name that ever really mattered to Neil. In small black letters, the words "Andrew Joseph Minyard" stood blinking back at Neil. Innocent and unyielding. As if those the words could not tear Neil apart piece by piece. As if those words couldn't put him back together afterwards. 

Neil swallowed the panic that snaked its way around his throat and made his way to Andrew's contact. He felt so fucking stupid for putting his family in this position. Why did he have to stay? He could've ran. He could've protected them. He could've protected Andrew. 

With startling clarity, Neil realized something: If the roles were reversed and Andrew stood in Neil's place back in Baltimore, he would've left. Andrew would've run just so his family could live without the burden. Without the Butcher's son hiding in their corners. 

Neil felt so selfish in that moment, that he was willing to throw everything away just to save Andrew. An act of redemption for ever believing he could have this. 

The phone let out soft rings as it waited for Andrew to pick up. One second, nothing. Two seconds, nothing. Three, four, five, six, sev-. 

"Neil?" Andrew's voice echoes through the phone and Neil let out the most lung shattering sigh of relief. 

Breathlessly, Neil whispered, "Andrew, fuck. Are you okay?" 

"Why?" 

"Ple-" Neil growled at his near slip up, "Andrew just, answer the question." 

"I just got out of class, I'm doing okay." 

Neil felt like he could cry. It was strange, really. How fast Neil felt like his world was collapsing from one message. It was terrifying yet liberating. It meant he _could_ care. He had time to care. Neil Josten wasn't a monster like his father. 

"God. Okay. Good." 

"Neil. What's going on?" 

"Everything is fine Andrew. It doesn't matter, I'll see you soon." 

Andrew seemed pissed at the idea of letting the subject drop, but did so anyways. If Neil didn't want him to know, he wouldn't push him. 

"Are you on the way to the court yet Junkie?" 

Neil looked at the time with a furrow to his brow. 10 minutes until practice. Why hadn't Kevin come in to yell at him yet? Where is Nicky and Aaron- shit. 

Aaron Minyard. Andrew Joseph Minyard's _identical_ fucking twin. Neil suddenly felt very stupid. 

"Shit," Neil slipped on his running shoes while still on call with Andrew, "Fuck. Okay. Andrew, call Wymack and ask if Aaron, Nicky, or Kevin is at the court yet. If they aren't, call Katelyn and ask for Aaron. And no, Andrew I don't care how you feel about her." 

"Neil," It wasn't a question. It was a demand. Andrew wanted to know what the hell was going on and he wanted to know now. 

"I got a message threatening you. I thought that since you're fine, that the message was just a joke, but… Aaron looks exactly like you Andrew, and I haven't seen him all day," Neil let a beat of silence pass before talking again, "Andrew, I'm sorr-" 

"Don't. What are you going to do, Neil?" 

The truth was, Neil didn't know. He was used to being the one under the knife, not getting others away from it. Neil ran away from danger, not to it. Neil was a coward. But, Nathaniel. Nathaniel wields knives like a second arm. Nathaniel stood up and killed people who threatened him. Who threatens his family. 

Nathaniel would know what to do. 

"I'll find him if he's not at Katelyn's or the court," They both knew he wasn't, "And I'll bring him back." 

Neil hung up and ran out the dorms, not even giving Andrew the chance to call him stupid. They both knew the warning would be useless anyways. Neil- Nathaniel- would do what was necessary to protect Aaron. To prevent Andrew from losing his only brother again. Even if it ended in his death. Even if what he did was so moronic it put Kevin to shame. 

Nathaniel might be the only person in the world who understood just how big a fuckup Neil was. He knew it the moment Neil agreed to stay- promised- to stay. Nathaniel was the voice screaming at him about how his family would die because of their selfishness. Berating him for their need to exist for anyone other than themselves. A Wesninski was not built for family. They were built for knives and blood. Nathaniel was built for the abandoned basement in the innocent house on North Street in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Nathaniel hated that he was right more than anything. Neil acted like Nathaniel was a monster. Like he was this machine that only knew killing and ripping and torture, but he forgets that he isn't primarily his father's son. Nathaniel was also raised by a Hatford. She raised him to ignore the beast Nathan was trying to bring out in him. Nathaniel only existed to bear the pain Neil could not. 

And sometimes, to wield their pain like a weapon. He was his father's son, yes, but in all the helpful ways he could be. He would not torture whoever has Aaron. He would merely slit their throat with that manic smile on his lips and be on his way. 

He would make it painless, even though all he wanted to do was inact every form of torture Nathan ever taught Nathaniel. 

He dialed Aaron's phone on the way to Katelyn's dorm, praying to Renee's god that he would pick up. Praying that Nathaniel had woken up for no reason. 

"Well, well, well. Neil Josten! What a lovely surprise!" A crackly unfamiliar voice broke through Aaron's phone number. 

"Close, but no." 

The voice giggled an ugly smoker's laugh that easily turned into a cough, "Nathaniel! Even better. What a pleasure." 

The voice was distinctly feminine, but Nathaniel knew how rarely voices matched people's gender. 

"You know my name, but I don't know yours. Hardly seems fair." 

"Oh you don't recognize me? That's too bad. It's Carly Maid! From Baltimore Elementary?" 

A cold rush washed over Nathaniel as he heard Carly's last name. Maid. Jason Maid's sister. The boy who never left Nathaniel's bedroom in 3rd grade. Nathaniel's first and last friend. 

"Carly. Where is Andrew. Do you know?" 

The other line giggled again in that manic way of hers, "Why of course. Would you two like to speak?" 

"Yes. Please put Andrew on the phone." 

There was quiet shuffling before Aaron began to speak, "Josten I swear to fuck, I'm going to kill you." 

"Good to hear you're still alive Andrew." 

Nathaniel heard a confused gasp before Aaron caught on. Nathaniel was glad, because if Carly found out that Aaron was there and not in fact Andrew Minyard, he knew Aaron would have a bullet in his brain within minutes. 

Aaron also seemed to be more forgiving now that he knew Andrew was supposed to be in that seat and not him. He almost sounded glad it was him. Some part of Nathaniel felt inclined to agree with the feeling. 

"So. Where are you?" Nathaniel asked, somehow calm about the situation despite the waves of panic he felt. 

"Fox Tower." 

Nathaniel raised his eyebrows. So Aaron was kidnapped only 10 feet from his home? 

"Where, in Fox Tower?" 

There was a moment of stilted silence where Nathaniel heard Carly speak before Aaron answered with a slight waver in his voice, "The roof." 

Of. Fucking. Course. 

"I'll be there in a minute. Oh, and Carly?" Nathaniel yelled, "Play fair." 

Nathaniel was off the minute the phone call ended. He sent a quick text to Andrew stating where Aaron was before rushing back into the dorms. 

It really was quite stupid of Nathaniel to think they wouldn't be on the roof. Carly thought she had Andrew. She thought this was torturing him, being trapped 4 flights above ground level with, most likely, a knife to his throat. 

It sounded like Andrew's nightmare. 

It sounded like Nathaniel's nightmare. 

The roof door swung open easily as Nathaniel ran through, ready for the sight ahead of him. Or at least, he thought he was. 

Standing there, at the edge of the building, was Aaron with a noose in his hands, and a gun to his head. Nearby, hammered into the ground, was an iron nail with the end of the rope coiled around it. Nathaniel smiled easily when he realised the rope wasn't for Aaron, it was for him. 

"Carly, what's all this?" 

Aaron slowly shook his head, anger seeping through every pore. He looked ready to raise hell. 

"Nathaniel! It's been so long!" Carly sing-songed, "I've been dreaming of seeing you again since I was a little girl." 

Nathaniel smirked, "Ah yes, I remember your odd fascination." 

Carly giggled, a small blush covering her cheeks, "Well, what can I say. A pretty boy like you doesn't come around often. What do you say pretty boy, do you want a necklace?" 

"Not particularly." 

"Well. I guess that's too bad, huh Andrew?" 

Aaron looked at the girl, sneered, and looked back at Nathaniel. 

"You should've died in that basement, Junior." 

Carly cackled at that, beyond ecstatic about the extra torture Aaron was adding to the situation. But soon, she got restless and cocked the gun in her hand in warning. 

"As soon as it's on, you're letting Aaron go, right Carly?" 

The girl smiled and nodded, "As long as you play fair, I will." 

Nathaniel smirked and walked forward until Aaron and him stood eye to eye. The look shared between the two was silent yet so full. 

_Take care of Andrew._ Nathaniel pleaded. 

_I know we hate each other but don't die Neil. I don't know if he can take it._ Aaron replied. 

Nathaniel tilted his head forward, giving Aaron easy access to pull the noose around his neck and tighten it. Surprisingly, it didn't come with a sense of death. It felt more like a finality. 

Finally, it was over. All of the running and then the not-running and the fear of standing still. It was over. It was easy. 

"Andrew. Go." 

"You want those to be your last words Neil?" 

"Andrew," Nathaniel growled. 

Hazel met blue and the world began to burn, "No." 

Nathaniel wanted to scream. Aaron wanted Neil dead not even 2 weeks ago yet here he stood. 

"You're not going to die alone, Neil," Aaron growled. 

Aaron was stupid. He was annoying and he was selfish and a giant huge fucking hypocrite. But he was Neil's family. Nathaniel didn't quite know how to have one of those, but Neil did. Aaron mattered to Neil so much more than Nathaniel did. So he understood what he needed to do. 

"You blathering idiot. Carly will kill you if you stay," Nathaniel warned. 

Carly decided she was done with the conversation, "Oh Nate, don't you want him to see you fall?" 

Nathaniel looked at Aaron then back to Carly and smirked, "He already has." 

Carly twirled her brown hair absentmindedly as she put her gun away with her other hand, "Andrew, tie his arms together before you go." 

"Why aren't you fighting her Neil?" Aaron whispered as he went behind Nathaniel. 

Nathaniel laughed as he felt a raindrop fall from the sky, "She's Jason's sister. I deserve this." 

The moment he said it, he knew it was true. 

In 3rd grade, weeks before Nathaniel was meant to be in Evermore, Nathan handed his son a knife. He showed his son the precise places to cut a boy his age. He said the cuts were for good. Nathaniel believed him. 

"Jason needs this Junior. Do it for Jason." 

Nathaniel never asked why Jason needed the cuts. He just knew that if Nathaniel didn't do it to Jason- for Jason,- Nathan would do it to him. 

So, Nathaniel invited Jason over for a playdate and declined when Jason asked if he could bring his sister, Carly. Nathaniel locked his bedroom door when they began to play trucks. Then, after Jason lied there quiet and unanswering while Nathaniel continued to play with his sticky red trucks, Nathaniel went to find Nathan. 

There was no reason for Jason's death other than Nathaniel not wanting to get grounded. Jason died at Nathaniel's hand, and this was his price to pay. 

The zip ties around Nathaniel's arms were just loose enough to slip out of, but no part of him wanted to. Carly seemed to recognize his acceptance as she smiled and waved Aaron away. 

"The Butcher's boy should not be this eager to die." 

"I'm not." 

"Then where's the heat. When are you going to insult me Nathaniel! WHERE'S THE KNIFE IN MY GUT?" Carly spat. 

Nathaniel thought, _in your brother's throat_ before smiling and bowing his head. 

"You're doing what you have to do for Jason. I would do the same for my family." 

Carly growled. Deep and full of rage, "Andrew is right fuckjng there. I put a gun to his head and all you did was sm-" 

Carly was cut off by the roof door opening and the real Andrew Minyard scowling at the scene. He looked like he could kill Carly without a turn of the head. 

But Nathaniel saw it. 

He saw the worry in Andrew's brow. He saw the shake in Andrew's hand. And he saw the way his shoulders relaxed at the sight of his brother, scratch-free and far away from this mess. 

They weren't safe though. Nathaniel saw Carly's hand sit hesitantly over the gun in it's holster. The way she took a moment before turning to Nathaniel and grabbing his shirt. She didn't want to kill anyone. 

She wasn't deranged or manic. Carly was terrified and grieving. Still. 

Up close, Nathaniel could see the way tears were barely being held back in her eyes. Carly let out a wet humorless laugh before turning around and smiling at the new arrival. 

"Shit. There was another one." 

Nathaniel felt himself giggle at this. It would be funny, if he wasn't standing on the edge of a building with a noose around his neck. 

"Still you managed to get all three of us so… I guess it's a win?" Nathaniel smiled from behind Carly. 

"Shut up," Andrew growled from the open door. 

"Well, newcomer, if you take one more step, I promise you someone is going to die. And by the looks of it, Nathaniel is not winning this bet." 

"When am I ever?" 

"You said you would stay," Andrew reminded him, "You promised." 

The guilt was heavy in Nathaniel, but heavier in Neil's. After all, Nathaniel wasn't to blame for this. 

"No. Neil did that. Andrew, you should take Aaron and go before someone gets hurt." 

"What about you?" Aaron yelled, "You moron, you could get hurt!" 

"Neil broke your promise a long time ago Andrew. You can take Aaron and go." 

"Fuck no! Neil you're not going to die," Aaron yelled. 

"That is so embarrassing!" Carly jumped in, "I kidnapped the wrong Minyard." 

Nathaniel's blood froze as he heard those words. She knew, and now one of them was disposable. The real question, was who she deemed worthless. 

He couldn't let that happen. 

The roof was quiet as it began to rain harder. Nathaniel used to love the rain. 

Carly stood close to Nathaniel and only a few feet from the edge. It would be so easy. 

"Andrew," Nathaniel yelled over the thunder, "You really are amazing." 

"Shut the fuck up Neil." 

"Andrew." 

When he looked up and the two locked eyes, one thought ran through Nathaniel's head: 

His hazel eyes were so much better than Aaron's. 

Carly seemed to have made her choice as she brought out her gun and aimed it at Aaron. 

Quickly, before second guessing himself, Neil ran at Carly, hands tied behind his back. The moment they hit, a gun went off and the two of them were falling down Fox Tower. 

Nathaniel always knew what it was like at the other end of the knife, but never once had he been under a rope like he was now. 

He was just waiting for the free fall to end, and the suspension to crack his neck. Easy. Fast. 

Better than any death he could've asked for.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah I got lazy towards the end. I'll probably make a part 2 OR a new story all together ab the same thing!
> 
> Comment something sexy 4 a kiss


End file.
